The elite’s excuse for opposing a living wage

Don’t you love hearing the rich say the working poor can’t have more pay? The faux concern that higher wages cost jobs from the same people who support huge executive pay packets and tax cuts? If you really believed higher wages meant fewer jobs, you would cut the CEO’s pay in half, not dick around over a few dollars an hour for real workers.

Of course, the truth is more money in working people’s hands means more demand for the basics, meaning more jobs. It’s well-established empirical fact. Anyone who argues otherwise is just using a false justification that masks their real – much less altruistic reasons – for wanting the poor to stay poor.

Well, let’s test them. How about this – the 44 top paid CEOs in the country get over $62 million between them. Halve that and you’ve got enough for over 800 living wage jobs. What do you reckon, righties? If you really honestly believe higher wages leads to unemployment, you’ll join with me in calling on those CEOs to take 50% less of the ungodly amounts they’re paid and put 800 Kiwis into work with the savings.

No? Don’t support that? Just want to sanctimoniously tell the working poor they mustn’t have more pay and give bullshit excuses about job losses when what you’re really worried about is making sure the labour cost in your retail goods and restaurant bills doesn’t go up, and, of course, in maintaining the gap between you as the wealthy elite and the poor?

Because, really, what’s the point in being rich if there’s no poor to look down your nose at?

How can you demand equality when your proposal to achieve equality is based on in-equally treating all income earners? Shouldn’t the path to equality mean that everyone gets treated equally…i.e everyone pays 89% tax irrespective how much you earn?

Indeed, and if all the hard left can come up with is ‘eat the rich’ nonsense like this, they will always struggle to get it up. What a sick joke to suggest that the pay of 44 people out of 4.5 million is the reason some people are poor. Ridiculous. No wonder these class warriors are so bitter and filled with rage and despair. It’s always someone else’s fault. Their glass is always half empty, unless its a chardy while plotting the revolution.

Zet, lets just look at it slightly differently: these individuals work for organisations that effectively tax us. Like telcos, banks, power companies and yes, government departments. They are NOT capitalists, they are the top functionaries. They take no risk with their own money, they don’t generally own their organisation. And they garner the cash because their organisations can “clip the ticket” on pretty much everything.

They are generally rent seekers, they generally provide no new value to any transaction, in short they are parasites. Smaller business can do without them. And the “consumer base” (aka citizenry) would be well rid of them.

Your suggestion of halving their income to create jobs is obviously not going to happen, BUT that is no reason why their salaries (and the whole cadre of “managers” within these “tax empires”) should be paid more than the rest if us. A direct result of paying them the same as our meagre rations is that the size of our bills from their organisations should go down.

EnnuiinR Hear hear! How could we decouple the salaries? We would have to get rid of the Higher Salaries Commission or whatever. Would that require legislation or something less – say an order in council or whatever. And requiring a good return from SOEs as government does, should include a salary cap from the top echelon. Those who think they are worth more on the overseas market can bu..r off there and we will train up some of the rising talent.

No, its more fundamental: we give teeth to legislation and regulation of monopoly / duopoly / cartel behavoir etc, take the money out of it. We also re nationalise all power, telco, etc and further put in place a public service pay scale with a maximum pegged as a multiple of the bottom wage.

Yeap, when looking for work on student job search I’ll usually pass over any jobs with that rate unless it’s offering really good work conditions or I’m super broke as usually another, better paying job will pop up.

1. It will be highly inflationary. Not only will companies have to pass on the cost of the “living wage”, but other more-skilled staff members currently being paid at that level will demand an increase in their wage to maintain the differential. These costs will be passed on to consumers, many who will be on the “living wage”. So, the “living wage” will unlikely keep up with cost of living increases, so probably won’t be an actual living wage no matter what level it is set at.

2. Exporters won’t be able to pass on the costs as they can only get the market rate in the given export country. So, it will be bad for exporters.

it wouldn’t be inflationary – it would be a redistribution of income. And if its adoption creates a one-off increase in inflation it’s spread across all consumers, whereas the benefits of the living wage are concentrated on those who need it. In other words, it does its jobs.

Exporters’ labour costs are a small portion of their costs. Most low paid workers don’t work in the tradable sector. Even in a worst case scenario, the increase in costs to exporters would be a couple of percent – miniscule compared to the costs of the rising exchange rate.

I fail to see how you can claim it is a redistribution of wages unless you are saying that the tax-payer will top up the wages (which is effectively what happens now under WFF). And the fact that workers will seek to maintain pay differentials means that increases won’t be limited to those on the “living wage”. Also the velocity of money through various stages of the production cycle means that the effect won’t be one-off. So, it will be inflationary.

Also, if the wage costs are set at a higher level than what employers think is the actual value, then employers will look to find ways to reduce the number of employees at that level, through automation, system improvements, etc.

Finally, there will be less incentive for employers to take on new employees, so unemployment will rise.

When and if inflation begins to bite down the track, we’ll just take money out of the economy.

Also, if the wage costs are set at a higher level than what employers think is the actual value, then employers will look to find ways to reduce the number of employees at that level, through automation, system improvements, etc.

This is beneficial. NZ enterprises investing in higher technology for their factories and businesses.

This will let employees move to higher skilled jobs.

Finally, there will be less incentive for employers to take on new employees, so unemployment will rise.

Now you’re being ridiculous. Aggregate spending and demand in the economy is going to climb, employers will need a lot more staff to keep up, or risk losing business to competitors.

“When and if inflation begins to bite down the track, we’ll just take money out of the economy.”

Taking money out of the economy will increase unemployment. Probably at the expense of those on a “living wage”.

“This is beneficial. NZ enterprises investing in higher technology for their factories and businesses.

This will let employees move to higher skilled jobs.”

Why would they bother training for higher skilled jobs if they can’t get higher than the “living wage” which will be an effective ceiling for many.

“Now you’re being ridiculous. Aggregate spending and demand in the economy is going to climb, employers will need a lot more staff to keep up, or risk losing business to competitors.”

Remember, aggregate spending and demand increase is highly inflationary, reducing the spending power of the “living wage”. So, you are in affect agreeing with me. By your own argument, the resulting inflation will prompt the RB to withdraw funds from the economy, hurting those on the “living wage” when they lose their jobs as a result.

as i commented the ova’ day, i don’t believe that this living wage is gonna fly; Corporate response-
“if min wage goes up, we’ll have to source cheaper options” (I’m thinking, that recycle robot left cleaning up the planet…)

“IF and WHEN inflationary pressures become excessive, the Govt has many choices to pull inflation and money out of the economy.”

And one of those ways is to tolerate an increase in the rate of unemployment. For other methods the government has at its disposal, the effect is to increase unemployment. So it seems to me that you are unwittingly advocating an increase in unemployment.

“Currently however the NZ economy has a huge amount of productive under-utilisation and that will keep inflation low for a long time.”

“Productive under-utilisation” is effectively the current unemployment rate. As shown above, a “living wage” will increase not reduce “productive under-utilisation”.

it won’t be inflationary – not while there is plenty of spare productive and competitive capacity in our economy. Consumers will continue to shop for good deals and will reward suppliers who can deliver on them.

Trust the market tsmithfield.

2. Exporters won’t be able to pass on the costs as they can only get the market rate in the given export country. So, it will be bad for exporters.

What a weird thing to say. With a lower NZ dollar, exporters will get more NZD per unit sold overseas. More NZD garnered means more profits.

but but but Labour will increase the minimum wage, which apparently will increase inflation and cause OCR adjustments that’ll raise our exchange rate! So under labour our dollar will simultaneously increase and decrease in value?

Yeah that’s about where we get to with these privilege protecting Righties. But hey, free market neolib economics has worked so well for NZ and for Europe and the USA, what can possibly go wrong with more of the same medicine.

So basically, if a left wing government entered power and implemented measures like minimum wage, printing money, increasing benefits to a dignified level, and greater access to healthcare and education, then:
the dollar would decrease,
exports increase,
more people would be paid more (and fewer paid gazillions) so inequality would decrease,
more people would be employed actually making shit for the export market,
and more taxpayer money would be spent on healthcare and education.

There is a difference in the effect of a decrease in the value of the dollar that makes exporters more competitive compared to the dollar crashing in an uncontrolled way, with all sorts of negative consequences.

Back in the olden days when Playboy was often illegal, a judge said, “I cannot define pornography, but I know it when I see it.”

I cannot define immoral inequality, but I know it when I see it. I see it now.

Why was there a revolution in France? Because by 1789 one third of the people of Paris were homeless.

“But that can’t happen now. Yeah right.”

A lot of tonight’s comments have been a pissing contest between those who thought Playboy was pornographic and those who didn’t. Keep pissing but no one is likely to change their mind based on the arguments above. My hope is that when the revolution overthrows neo-liberalism we won’t have a reign of terror.

Surly it is immoral for a worker to earn a minimum wage, that does not support a worker or their family enjoying what others take for granted as normal, family days out, sport participation, going to the movies and the like,let alone earning enough to service the Kiwi dream a mortgage.

My lad and two of his friends, applied for work in the South Island through W.I.N.Z. they were given assistance by W.I.N.Z for travel costs and assured that they would be going to a job that would employ them 40 hours minimum, when asking about the pay rate W.I.N.Z.assured them it would at least be set at the minimum wage.When they arrived at this Vineyard the contractor who was employing them said that he had accommodation for them at his farm, at the cost of $135 per week, that entailed a bed and a lift to and from the place of work,supply your own tucker.When asking him what the hourly rate was “we work productivity the more you do the more you get”,the job entailed what is known as vine rubbing at the magnanimous pay rate of 4 cents per plant.The boys said it was back breaking hard yaka and after paying the rent they and others had little left for tucker.

This is the sort of exploitative employment that has been running rampant for the better part of ten or more years in N.Z.not only by wine exporters and their contracting agents, but also by many producers of food products who are making healthy profits yet plead poverty when asked to pay a affordable living wage.

They got back and held their breath that the minimum stand down period for applying for a benefit would not be extended, due to them not getting the sack,three months minimum stand down for not getting sacked.W.I.N.Z. eh!.

@Jim
Your comment is are really good illustrative example of what I hear a lot of too.
There is perhaps two types of employers in NZ (minus the corporations).
~Type one: who really are achieving a small profit and wouldn’t be able to afford a minimum pay increase.
~Type two: the type you describe.

I was just having a discussion with someone the other day, how there appears to be a culture of begrudging employees wages; that the expense of wages are simply not considered a necessary cost of the business. (I.e. less vitriol about the cost of food, plants, fertilizer- the physical, non-human components to the business). There is no real acceptance of either the real value that the worker provides (no workers, no business; the workers are the business), nor that the worker requires to be able to feed, clothe and house themselves with hopefully a little over those costs to save for a rainy day.

Sadly, I have seen these attitudes openly displayed by those who are paying the absolute minimum wage to boot. Very ungenerous attitudes all round.

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Headlines: With sanctions being lifted on Iran, McCully says there are big opportunities for New Zealand businesses in Iran and some have been giving the market a lot of thought. “…the opportunities are significant in the short-term and even bigger… ...

Foreign Minister Murray McCully talks to Tova O’Brien in New York about what opportunities the Iran deal creates for New Zealand, whether the families of the MH17 victims will ever get justice, and he has stern words for the world’s… ...

The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (the Guild) is keen to learn more about how the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) will impact New Zealand’s health sector if it is accepted by the Government. ...

Secrecy of TPPA documents heads to court A legal challenge to the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations will be launched in the High Court next week. An urgent application for judicial review will challenge Trade Minister ...

Navy Ships Arriving Home After Long Deployments The frigate HMNZS TE KAHA and tanker HMNZS ENDEAVOUR will arrive at the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland at 10am this Sunday 2 August, after long overseas deployments. Over 1100 family and friends… ...

Social Service Providers Aotearoa (SSPA) is concerned about the potential for a proposed study on new born children to go awry unless the paramountcy principle of commitment to the Care and Protection of Children is upheld. This commitment means that… ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

After 3 years of legal battle the government has now agreed to make full offers to commercial and vacant land owners whose properties were illegally red-zoned. However it decided to single out self-insured homeowners and offers nothing for their homes. ...

Strong response to Draft Transition Recovery Plan The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has started analysing more than 2500 written comments received on the transition of recovery arrangements in greater Christchurch. The Recovery Plan ...

Heard you were able to get back to your dad’s turangawaewae last week. Mean … hope you had a good catch up with the whanau. I also hear you’re getting ready to endorse the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), and I’m… ...

The family of Lecretia Seales has decided not to appeal the High Court decision in the case of Seales v. Attorney General released to the public by Justice Collins last month on June 5th. Ms Seales passed away several hours… ...

Auckland’s only centre-right Mayoral candidate Stephen Berry says in light of massive rates increases it is inappropriate for the Mayor or any Councillors to be accepting a pay increase. “I propose that until such time as the Council passes a… ...

Predictive risk model in the prevention of child abuse – UNICEF NZ urges caution Research and testing of a predictive risk model to assist in identifying and responding to children at risk of child abuse is important work but must… ...

"Dow AgroSciences, Fonterra and Methanex are three named sponsors of Taranaki Regional Council's Environmental Awards. Their sponsorships makes a total mockery of these awards. This is akin to a weapons manufacturer sponsoring a peace scholarship" ...

Wikileaks has just posted a ‘guidance’ document for TPPA ministers on SOE-related issues ( https://wikileaks.org/tpp-soe-minister/ ). Although dated December 2013, Professor Jane Kelsey, a law professor from the University of Auckland who has monitored ...

With the reference to the latest “Trafficking in Persons” or TIP Report Released this Tuesday by the US Government, ECPAT Child ALERT Trust raises concerns that even though New Zealand may be in the Tier 1 category the report clearly… ...

An Independent Police Conduct Authority report released today has found that Police unlawfully detained two women and three young children following an armed response which developed from the attempted arrest of a male in Mangere on the evening of ...

The National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges welcomes the announcement of the government family and sexual violence work programme. “I am excited to see this commitment to action from the government and look forward to working alongside ...

At the conclusion of a public request for proposals and selection process, the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives has appointed Oratia Media to publish the fourth edition of the authoritative guide to the conduct of our… ...

At the conclusion of a public request for proposals and selection process, the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives has appointed Oratia Media to publish the fourth edition of the authoritative guide to the conduct of our… ...

‘The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) has given up another secret – unprecedented new restrictions on state-owned enterprises (SOEs)’, says University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey who has monitored the SOE negotiations intensively. ...

‘The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) has given up another secret – unprecedented new restrictions on state-owned enterprises (SOEs)’, says University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey who has monitored the SOE negotiations intensively. ...

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll. Source: Professor Jane Kelsey. Professor Jane Kelsey. ‘The “final” ministerial meeting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Maui… ...

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll. Statement of Lori Wallach, Director, Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch – Yet Another ‘Final’ TPP Ministerial and Again No Deal; Not… ...

Michael Woodhouse. Image courtesy of TheStandard.org.nz. Analysis by Keith Rankin. This article was also published on TheDailyBlog.co.nz. On Q+A (TVNZ) on 12 July, Michael Woodhouse, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety discussed ‘Zero-Hour’ labour contracts as a subset… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.com MGSM Release: Sydney and Melbourne property prices have grown at more than 15 per cent per annum over the last three years, outperforming any other Australian markets and creating a bubble, says Nobel Prize winning economist Professor… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comNew Zealanders love their holidays and according to recent data released by Statistics NZ, last month alone 198,800 kiwis took a vacation. For the year ending June 2015, over 2.3 million New Zealanders left New Zealand to… ...

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Dr Bryce Edwards. Should we celebrate the super rich in New Zealand or see their growing wealth as a cause of inequality and division? The publication of the NBR’s latest annual Rich List… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 7 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Friday 31st July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include the progress of the controversial controversial Health and Safety Reform Bill… ...

Source: Professor Jane Kelsey. Professor Jane Kelsey. A legal challenge to the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations will be launched in the High Court next week.An urgent application for judicial review will challenge Trade… ...

Source:Smokefreerockquest – Nelson Media Agency – Press Release/Statement: Headline: SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 NATIONAL FINALISTS ANNOUNCEDThe top nine Smokefreerockquest national finalists were announced today, the crème of the 700 bands and solo/duos who entered the nationwide youth music contest this year.Contenders… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Amanda CarringtonWellington celebrated a milestone last weekend, reaching 150 years as New Zealand’s capital. Thousands of Wellingtonians were enticed to explore the many churches, universities, museums and government buildings the city has to offer. But… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comThe speech text below was used by Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully used to open the Open Debate: Peace and security challenges facing Small Island Developing States, at the UN Security Council, July 30, 2015 (New York… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 6 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Thursday 30th July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include information showing that Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has confined anew… ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin. This article was also published on Scoop.co.nz.On Morning Report on Friday (24 July), I heard the following exchange between Guyon Espiner and Finance Minister, Bill English.Guyon Espiner: “So what’s the good bit about allowing… ...

Source: Scope Media – PERRIAM. Merino sheep being mustered on Bendigo Station overlooking, Lake Dunstan. Luxury merino fashion brand PERRIAM has been selected for a special showcase on wool in fashion at the prestigious New Zealand Fashion Week… ...

…he can do anything he wants….his suit is 100% NASA-engineered teflon & stuff… …so it’s been such an amazing run that el presidente recently decided on a make over and costuming – because he can…because he can do what… ...

Political roundup by Dr Bryce Edwards Dr Bryce Edwards. $100,000 a year to imprison a person is a lot of money. That’s the striking figure at the centre of the current prison scandal and debate, in a country… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 5 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Wednesday 29th July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include the possibility of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade talks coming… ...

Investigation by Carolyn Skelton.Negative side effects of isotretinoinIn my research of the acne last resort drug, isotretinoin, I came across a couple of issues related to the impact of Big Pharma, Pharmac, and potential impacts of the TPP.… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 5 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Tuesday 28th July.NEWSROOM_MONITOR Top stories in the current news cycle include more leaked documents that show the funding of District Health Boards… ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin – This article was also published on Scoop.co.nz.In response to my Money, Flow and Debt (Daily Blog and Evening Report, 25 July 2015) one reader responded to my comments about money hoarding and compensatory debt&hellip; ...

Source: Hot Topic – By Gareth Renowden – Analysis published with permission of Hot-Topic.co.nz Headline: A tale of two hemispheres At the end of June, Professor Jim Renwick of Victoria University gave his inaugural lecture. As you might expect of… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 9 links for the day from Monday 27th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include concerns over a leaked document that reportedly shows the Government plans an overhaul to the governance of… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 9 links for the day from Monday 27th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include concerns over a leaked document that reportedly shows the Government plans an overhaul to the governance of… ...

Source: Asia Pacific Lawyers Network.“Evidence is mounting of increasing numbers of internet romantics and international travellers risking their lives after being deceived, coerced and ultimately exploited by sophisticated international drug cartels,” New Zealand death penalty defence… ...

…exactly when am i a journalist? …the hager case has raised some big issues…is it time to professionalise journalism? …personally i think the hand-writing a tag or a name sticker that says “reporter” is the standard we should… ...

Eyes of Fire (fifth edition) launched Friday July 10, 2015. Opinion piece by Professor David Robie of AUT’s School of Communication Studies – David travelled on board the Rainbow Warrior for 10 weeks before the bombing and wrote the book&hellip; ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin – This article was also published on TheDailyBlog.co.nz.To sort out our intransigent economic problems, ordinary people need to understand how things actually work today and how things do not work. The peasants need to challenge… ...

Report by Alistar Kata – Pacific Media Centre/Pacific Media Watch.AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): Most audiences are used to seeing Wairere Tame Iti as the Māori activist, who most notably shot the Australian flag at a 2005 Waitangi Tribunal… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 4 links for the day of Friday 24th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include more concerns about effects of the Government’s tougher welfare policy and the… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.com – Contributed by Olexander BarnesWellington is the city where the vampire film “What we do in the Shadows” takes place, but there are more dangers on our streets than just vampires. Living Streets Aotearoa and the Urban Design… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comIt may be a fact of the news cycle that Thursday night’s release of research focused on asthma health literacy for Māori children in New Zealand – He Māramatanga Huangō – wasn’t destined to make the 6pm bulletin.… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Amanda CarringtonNew research from a Victoria University professor shows a longer parole period will decrease the risk of prisoners reoffending. Psychology professor Devon Polaschek’s work Surviving the first year explores how prisoners who are… ...

Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup – The Housing apartheid problem Dr Bryce Edwards. There’s a social divide opening up in New Zealand cities, especially Auckland, over home ownership. But is the division about race or wealth? And what can… ...

Containing the impacts in NZ: Acne and isotretinoin IIIInvestigation by Carolyn Skelton.In my previous pieces I addressed problems with acne and a last resort anti-acne drug (isotretinoin); a drug which has tended towards being overused and under-regulated. Many… ...

Source: Royal New Zealand Ballet A magical world premiere from the RNZB – The Vodafone Season of A Midsummer Night’s DreamIn an unprecedented artistic coup the Royal New Zealand Ballet has commissioned one of the world’s most sought after choreographers… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 5 links for the day of Thursday 23rd July.Top stories in the current news cycle include a report from ACClaim Otago, a support group for injured people that… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Olexander BarnesDebates on issues like euthanasia deserve the widest possible audience. It was fitting then that the lecture hall in the Otago campus next to Wellington hospital was packed full of people, all eager to… ...

Source: Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand New Civil Aviation Rules for unmanned aircraft coming into force next week will improve aviation safety for operators, other airspace users and people and property. Civil Aviation Rule Part 102… ...

Source:Reserve Bank of New Zealand Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler announced this morning that the Reserve Bank has reduced the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.0 percent.Graeme Wheeler said the global economic growth remains moderate,… ...

Peter Godfrey and Selwyn Manning. Selwyn Manning and Australian radio station FiveAA’s Peter Godfrey deliver their weekly bulletin, Across The Ditch. This week New Zealand’s Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Inga under pressure to resign after scandalous and tragic… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 4 links for the day of Tuesday 22nd July.Top stories in the current news cycle include Parliament unanimously passing legislation to fix a legal loophole that would have… ...

From The Virtual Desk of Ant Timpson. It all started with a synopsis and a poster submitted to a film competition. From 500 submissions, one winner emerged victorious. The filmmaker’s name was Jason Lei Howden and his winning idea was… ...